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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23815420">I'm With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/musings_of_a_madman/pseuds/musings_of_a_madman'>musings_of_a_madman</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gabriel Agreste's A+ Parenting, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marinette protection squad, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:28:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23815420</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/musings_of_a_madman/pseuds/musings_of_a_madman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Marinette decided to side with Lila after that infamous encounter in the bathroom?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>571</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the lunchtime debacle, Marinette was practically steaming from the ears. Pacing from one end of the bathroom to the other, she could hardly hear Tikki’s words of encouragement. She thought her friends knew her. Why would they think she would do anything to hurt an innocent person, even if she were jealous? She might have feelings for Adrien, but she learned her lesson of letting some jealousy get too out of control. Having Lila come in, claiming that she had done nothing wrong and could help with Adrien only made her snap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You and I will only be friends the day you stop lying, Lila.” Her glare was fierce and the Italian girl gasped. Whether she was shocked that Marinette knew or she was trying to act innocent or some combination of both, Marinette could care less. She continued, anger clear in her voice, “I can’t prove it, but I know for a fact that you don’t have tinnitus, that your wrist is just fine, that you don’t know Prince Ali because you have never even stepped foot in Achu, and, despite what you got Alya to write on her Ladyblog, Ladybug has never saved your life!” With each point, she took a step towards Lila, who was backing up from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, she stopped her act. Every trace of innocence left her expression as a sly smirk appeared on her lips. Her olive green eyes narrowed as she replied, ““I only tell people what they want to hear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette practically gasped at the sentence. Who in their right mind could even believe that someone would ever want to be lied to? Her classmates might be excited for all the celebrities that Lila claimed to know, but how would they feel when they found out? They would be so disappointed and, if Marinette knew Alya even the slightest bit, Alya would feel so betrayed. She had given her Ladyblog viewers false information! “It’s called lying!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking small steps toward Marinette, Lila only smirked mischievously at what she said. Just from her body language, it was clear that she was in control of the situation and she knew it. Marinette had to back up, all of her confidence suddenly vanishing. “There’s nothing you can do about it anyway. People can’t resist when they hear what they like to hear,” Lila mentioned, almost casually, “If you don’t want to be my friend, fine! But soon you won’t have any friends left at all. And trust me, I’ll make sure you never get close to Adrien in class or anywhere!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slammed her hands on the bathroom wall, effectively trapping Marinette, who almost yelped from the sudden movement. Her smile only turned more smug as she noticed how helpless Marinette looked. “You seem less dumb than the others, so I’ll give you one last chance. You’re either with me or against me,” Lila offered with a sickly sweet smile, “You don’t have to answer right away. I’ll give you till the end of class today.” With that, she flipped her hair and left the bathroom, slamming the door on the way out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The loud sound made Marinette jump and become aware of how her hands were violently trembling. Glancing at her surroundings, she dashed into a stall and locked herself in. Letting herself fall to the ground, Marinette curled into a ball and tried desperately to breathe normally. All control she might have had suddenly slipped from her fingers. She wanted to believe that Lila couldn’t just do what she claimed. Surely her friends would never abandon her, especially after all they had been through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then again, she was in the bathroom alone, even though it was very clear that she was upset. Lila probably went back to the lunchroom where everyone was waiting to comfort her while Marinette was struggling in the stall. Did she really know that they would believe her over this liar? They never had before and Lila probably saw this. Maybe she knew that everyone couldn’t care less about Marinette and decided to use that to her advantage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her kwami was frantically trying to comfort Marinette. Tikki assured her that she would figure out what to do, but what could she do? She seemed to have two options. Lose all of her friends or let Lila get away with all of this and pretend to be her friend. Her thoughts were all over the place, but these seemed clear. She had to make a choice. “Akuma! Marinette!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki’s cry made Marinette raise her head. A familiar purple butterfly was inches from her face and she squealed, moving to the other corner of the stall. It didn’t deter the akuma, which slowly flew towards Marinette again. Tikki tried to remind her, “Hawkmoth’s power only affects people who think there’s no solution to their problems! You always find a solution!” Finally, she tried to stand on the toilet so she could have extra time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A solution? She didn’t want to lose her friends so there was only one solution. The akuma seemed to hesitate once she realized that. “I’ll side with Lila!” Her determined voice chased the akuma away from her. “I won’t lose my friends! Everything will be fine!” A sudden rush of relief surrounded her so the akuma couldn’t find anything to latch onto. Her breathing returned to normal as the purple butterfly flew out the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette…” her kwami said sadly, floating near her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What else can I do, Tikki?” Marinette tried to appear hopeful as she gathered her things from the floor. “I don’t have any other choice and- and now I won’t lose my friends.” Tears gathered in her eyes, but she pushed them away. Tears attracted akumas afterall. “You don’t understand. Before you…  before Alya, I didn’t have friends. I can’t go back to that.” Finally, all of her stuff was in her backpack and she was ready to leave the bathroom. Marinette bit her lip in thought. “I have to do this.” Her kwami said nothing in reply, but just looked at her with her sad blue eyes and flew into her holder’s purse. Marinette nodded one more time, almost as if she was convincing herself, and opened the stall door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the akuma attack, Marinette watched as the class surrounded Lila, but wasn’t really paying attention. She was still struggling with her decision. If this was the right choice, why was she already feeling nervous? No, she reminded herself, this may not be the right choice, but this is the only choice. It wasn’t long before class started and she headed back to class, a bit behind everyone else. She could feel Lila’s stare as she walked up to the back row. See, if she didn’t side with Lila, this might be her seat for the rest of the year. No one would even want to sit with her. Her heart rate picked up at the thought so Marinette distracted herself with her books and supplies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien, who had heard about what happened with Marinette during lunchtime, looked at her sitting by herself. She just seemed so...upset. Almost caving in on herself, trying not to meet anyone’s eyes. Maybe, sitting with someone would brighten her mood. He would even think that they were good friends. He smiled to himself and began walking up the stairs towards her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien?” Someone saying his name broke him out of his thoughts. Taking his eyes off Marinette, he turned to Alya, who called him. “I wouldn’t,” she mentioned with a weak smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Why wouldn’t Alya want him to sit with her? Marinette was so clearly lonely by herself. It wasn’t exactly fair that she had to sit by herself because a liar had changed the seating chart before she could get to school. Alya didn’t know that Lila was a liar, but surely this seemed unfair to everyone else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just…” she trailed off before continuing, “She doesn’t really want to talk to anyone right now.” Alya had tried to talk to her before class started, but Marinette was so clearly out of it. She didn’t know if it was about the whole Lila thing or something else, but Alya knew that she definitely wouldn’t want to talk to Adrien right now. Seeing Adrien’s confusion, she quickly added, “It has nothing to do with you, I swear! She just wants to be alone right now. Said she had something to think about before class.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” he muttered, his heart sinking to his stomach. “Okay. Thanks for the heads up, I guess.” Adrien took one more glance at Marinette, but she was clearly deep in thought. Maybe he could say something to her after class. If she knew about Lila, she needed to know that he knew as well. They could take the high road together! That thought uplifted his spirits as he took his seat next to Lila, who seemed all too pleased with herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Class finished relatively quickly and Marinette found herself outside with Alya and Nino. Alya was clearly concerned and gave her a hug. She looked at her before reminding Marinette that she could call her anytime. After that, Alya left with Nino. Even though it was very nice, Marinette couldn't help but feel empty. It only made her more aware of how terrible it would be to not have any friends. Turning around, Marinette bumped into Lila, who had her hands on her hips. Her eyes drilled into Marinette’s, positively loving the timid look in her eyes. “So have you made your decision, Marinette?” To anyone listening in on the conversation, it seemed casual enough, but the two knew what weight the question held.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette took a breath. This was it. All she had to do was say it. Her eyes met Lila's before looking down at the ground. “I-y-yes, I have, Lila. I-I’m with you.” </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Surprisingly, being Ladybug is refreshing compared to being Marinette.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After accepting her very own deal with a devil, Marinette believed that things would somehow get better. The whole class was visibly relieved that whatever issue Marinette once had with Lila was seemingly resolved. Alya seemed so grateful that her friends were no longer tense around each other. Maybe siding with Lila wasn’t so bad, regardless of what Tikki originally thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, Lila did play her part well. Even though Adrien had convinced Nino to sit next to him, the upset he caused only gave Lila the opportunity to parade her new friend. Marinette got her seat next to Alya while the Italian girl sat behind the two, next to Alix. In less than a day, she was able to resolve the problem and become good friends with Marinette. The entire class was very impressed by her problem solving skills. “Oh, it was just a silly misunderstanding,” Lila chirped, sweetness dripping off of every word, “I can already tell that we are going to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> friends.” Marinette almost believed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, as the weeks continued, the suffocating feeling in her chest didn’t go away, like she originally thought it would. In fact, it might have gotten worse. Lila managed to worm her way into Marinette’s life and never let her forget their little deal. Sure, she might not explicitly remind her, but every knowing glance and smug smirk only reminded Marinette just who she was supporting. She was just doing this to keep her friends. That became a mantra in her mind. The guilt of letting someone lie to her friends was already bad, not even considering the help Lila insisted she needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon, the dynamic duo, Marinette and Alya, became the terrifying trio, Lila, Alya, and Marinette. Lila managed to convince the others that they were all best friends and why wouldn’t they believe her? Lila spent so much time with them. Who would guess it was all a ploy to keep Marinette under her tyrannical control? Girl nights meant spending the night with Lila, even though every second she was with her made her feel as though she couldn’t breathe properly. Everyone adored Lila so Marinette had to pretend that she didn’t want to flinch every time her supposed best friend laid a hand on her. What else could she do?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>comments</span>
  </em>
  <span>. At first, they were tolerable. Little remarks about tiny things. She brushed them off easily. After a month, every little thing that Marinette did, Lila always had some judgemental comment. It was like she had to remind everyone that Marinette just seemed adequate when compared to her. After all, she had done so much and knew so many celebrities. Lila would always reassure her, for appearance’s sake, that she was only saying it to help her improve. After all, if her best friend couldn’t honestly criticize her, who could? Marinette just wanted nothing more for the comments to stop altogether. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first time she had ever changed something about herself because of what Lila said was monumentous. The Italian girl always criticized them whenever they had girls night and Marinette just wanted to make her stop. That morning, when she walked into the classroom, everyone went silent. Her eyes went to the floor as she silently pleaded for everyone to look away. She couldn’t help but feel judged. “Marinette! Your hair looks really cute!” Lila cheered as she hugged her. Marinette returned the hug, albeit less enthusiastically. “I always thought the pigtails were a bit too childish.” She took a strand of her hair and continued, “You look so mature now. Don’t you guys agree?” The class all collectively made a noise of agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nino was in a complete shock at the sight of Marinette without her pigtails. He had shared a class with her since they both started school and she always wore her hair in pigtails. Honestly, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if it were anyone else. Plenty of people changed their hair as they grew older. Marinette loved her pigtails. Despite everything else, there was something so disheartening about her in that moment. There was something different about her, something he had never seen in all the years he knew her. She didn’t look particularly happy about the change, but she quickly smiled in thanks to the class before going to her seat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once she sat down, Marinette looked up to see a pair of green eyes looking at her. “Your hair looks pretty, Marinette,” Adrien mentioned, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it down before.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her cheeks turned red instinctively. She shyly tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, something she hated doing. There was a reason she liked the pigtails. “Oh, thank yo-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien!” Lila cut the two off before continuing, “Oh! I’m sorry. I just wanted to talk to you about the photoshoot today!” She fiddled with a piece of her hair, almost sheepishly. “I was hoping you would join me for dinner afterwards? Your father insisted, but I understand if you have something better to do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His smile dulled a bit, but Marinette wouldn’t have noticed. She kept her eyes down on her sketchbook as soon as Lila opened her mouth. The blush from Adrien’s compliment was gone, making her skin look unusually pale. Her shoulders were lower than before. Since her hair was in her face, no one could really see her eyes. Maybe if they did, they would have asked what was wrong, but they clearly didn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien looked at Lila. He had no idea how she did it, but suddenly, his father seemed to love her. Well, love is a strong word when talking about Gabriel Agreste. Regardless, she was attending more photoshoots, even though this was her first modeling experience. His father preferred models who have been in the business for quite some time. All his free time, which wasn’t a lot to begin with, was scheduled as outings with Lila. No more free time to spend time with his friends. No, he had to pretend to tolerate a liar. He glanced at Marinette once more. “Marinette, what were you saying?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Adrien placed his attention on her instead on Lila, he had no idea that he would be opening the floodgates. No one caught the subtle glare Lila directed towards Marinette. Sure, they might be “friends”, but she was a true wildcard if left unattended. Being friends with Marinette guaranteed the implied seal of approval by the kindest girl in class. That didn’t mean that she couldn’t suddenly change her mind. Lila had to make sure Marinette knew she was unwanted and make her desperate for acceptance. This would be the first test to see just how much more she would have to work to complete her goals. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking up from her book, Marinette almost wanted to just ignore the question altogether. After all, he was just being polite. She didn’t have anything important to say, like Lila clearly did. The thought of Adrien posing with the liar as if they were dating sent a pang through her heart and her conscience was screaming at her. Her fear beat both of them. “It was nothing,” she replied, before going back to her sketchbook. At least Lila wouldn’t bother her if she was talking to Adrien. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Very good.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Though, not quite finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien?” Lila asked, eager to get his attention again. Adrien, who seemed a bit perplexed at what just happened, finally started talking to Lila.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya, who had witnessed the whole encounter, glanced at Nino, who looked just as confused. She couldn’t remember the last time Marinette didn’t stammer around Adrien. Alya might not have known Marinette for years, like Nino did, but something was clearly different. It hurt to admit it, but she realized that this was a gradual change, something she probably should have seen a while ago. Biting her lip, Alya wondered what might have caused such a change in Marinette. Her eyes fell on Chloe and immediately narrowed. Oh, of course. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night, Marinette found herself as Ladybug, swinging through Paris. At least she had her pigtails back. She shuddered at the thought of using her yoyo with her hair in her face. Before she left, Lila had just promised to send pictures from the photoshoot to her and Ayla. if she was Ladybug, she wouldn’t check her phone and could pretend the liar didn’t exist. Being Ladybug was the only thing that Lila couldn’t touch. No one could affect her being Ladybug, but it was lonely nonetheless. The cool air stung her face slightly, but the freedom that came with it was priceless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why did she ever see this as a burden? With the mask, she could do as she pleased and escape criticisms. Most people didn’t have negative opinions of Ladybug afterall. Even if they did, she could leave and blame her miraculous for her sudden departure. No one really knew her enough to hate her. Then again, what did Lila know about her? No, she came out to forget for once and she was not going to think about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stopping on top of a building with the perfect view of Paris at night, she took a breath. The only time she could breathe easily was when she was in her costume. Nothing could touch her as Ladybug. If she was more like Ladybug when she was Marinette, she could have handled Lila with no hassle. Why did she have to be stupid Marinette most of the time? Wouldn’t it just be better if she were Ladybug all the time? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lady?” Unknowingly interrupting her thoughts, a familiar black cat landed on the roof. Chat Noir approached her, lazily waving. “Saw an alert that you were out and I just wanted to make sure there was no akuma.” Ladybug shrugged and sat at the edge of the roof. Like clockwork, Chat Noir sat next to her. “So, why are you out and about at such a time like this? Something </span>
  <em>
    <span>bugging</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, my Lady?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Normally, the pun would have annoyed her. However, there was no immediate danger and, if she was being honest, it was nice to know Chat wouldn’t be changing anytime soon. To his surprise, Ladybug began laughing harder than she had ever laughed before. It was the first time she had laughed in awhile, so she couldn’t stop even if she tried. “Oh, you liked </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> one?” Chat snickered, “That wasn’t even my best one!” Her laughter wasn’t stopping though and his amused glance turned into a concerned one. Something that was usually music to his ears, her laughter was discordant, almost hysterical. It was so unlike the composed Ladybug he knew. “Ladybug? I mean, it wasn’t that funny…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Chat,” she wiped a tear away, unaware if that came from laughing or something else, still giggling slightly. “I guess I just haven’t laughed in awhile.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean, like that, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How would you feel about patrolling? Together?” She had to find some way to be Ladybug as much as she could. It was the only time she felt actually okay. Chat Noir knew her better than anyone else and he only knew her as Ladybug. It was refreshing. She would give anything, even her precious sleep, to live like this more often. Forget about everything else and just enjoy herself.</span>
</p><p><span>“Really?” He visibly perked up before quickly stating, “Of course! I would love to. It would be </span><em><span>pawsitively</span></em> <em><span>a-mew-sing</span></em><span> to spend more time with you, my Lady.” Chat Noir looked so pleased at the suggestion and she couldn’t help but smile. </span></p><p>
  <span>“Want to start tomorrow? I can bring food for my stray kitty.” </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Adrien is suddenly faced with his inability to act</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A few weeks passed since that odd night with Ladybug and Adrien was feeling more conflicted than he ever had before. Surely, he should be glad that he was spending more time with Ladybug, the love of his life. The patrols became the highlight of his day. His Lady was opening up to him much more than she had done before and the more he learned, the more enamoured he became. There wasn’t much to patrol for, apart from some odd crimes, so they typically spent the night at their vantage point, talking and eating the food Ladybug would bring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She must be a fan of Marinette’s family’s bakery. They weren’t snacking on the absolutely heavenly croissants every patrol, but it was enough that he noticed. Adrien could barely get extra food at meals, so he couldn’t contribute to the snacks without getting in trouble with his father. Ladybug didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she thought he was too skinny and should be eating more anyway. He couldn’t exactly explain to his dietician that he exercised more than he could tell them. Adrien doesn’t even want to think about how that conversation would go with his father. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though he had dreamed of spending more time with Ladybug, underneath the stars with a plate of croissants shared between the two, he had a sneaking suspicion that something was wrong with Ladybug. At first, he wanted to ignore that little voice, but it had become increasingly obvious. Adrien knew what it was like to use Chat Noir as an escape from his actual life. He had practically written the book on it. He was so thankful that he was Chat Noir and he probably would have gone crazy without it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, thinking that Ladybug needed to escape her civilian life did not sit well with Adrien. Even before she started spending more time with Chat Noir, he knew that she loved her friends and family dearly. He shuddered to wonder why she would need to escape in the first place. She never revealed specific things about her personal life because she was still dedicated to keeping their identities a secret, but something clearly changed and she wouldn’t even tell Chat Noir a watered down version of what happened. She was so insistent that she didn’t want to talk about anything that was bothering her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And if that wasn’t enough, his civilian life was even worse. Lila was taking all of his free time and his father made it very clear that these were to be considered dates, something Adrien never agreed to. There were so many news sources questioning whether or not the young model was dating his new Italian partner and he was not allowed to dispute any of them. He feared that, if he kept doing what his father asked, he would be dating Lila by the end of the month. Adrien couldn’t even be with Kagami anymore, something that used to insure him free time to be with an actual friend. No, Lila had sunk her claws into his life and twisted it to appease her wishes.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t even remember the last time he had hung out with Nino, Alya, or Marinette. Well, Marinette wasn’t really actively hanging out anymore. She always said she was too busy. Adrien could still talk to Nino and Alya at school, but never talked to Marinette. She had become so withdrawn from the class and everyone could tell something was different. Adrien wondered if he was the only one to realize just how much Marinette’s cheerful presence affected the class. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hurt to see his Everyday Ladybug be so quiet and unsure of herself, while he was powerless to help her. No one was saying anything about her and her sudden change and he never got the chance. Every time he tried to talk to her, she would be one step ahead of him and either start talking to someone else or just leave. Marinette was almost conditioned, but no one noticed just how smug Lila’s smile was when she noticed Marinette avoiding Adrien. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pigtails were only the beginning. Soon, her outfit changed as she started favoring less appealing clothes. Instead of her trendy outfit she normally wore, she was in leggings and a long sleeve shirt. The dark colors she normally wore were such a bold departure from the pink clothes she preferred before. The bags under her eyes got worse and worse and only made her eyes look defeated. The most jarring difference to Adrien was definitely her eyes. They didn’t shine like they once used to. People would get inspired after seeing the fire of determination in Marinette’s eyes. The fire was reduced to a fading ember. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the tragic part. Sometimes, he would notice her acting like she used to. Her posture would straighten and there would be the tiniest of sparks in her eyes. It was enough to give Adrien hope that this change was not permanent, that she was still the Marinette he knew, and she would come back. Then, something clicked and she was back to blank faced Marinette, simply existing, no longer present. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small part of him wondered if Lila had anything to do with the change in Marinette, but he had no idea how she could have done it. In class, Lila seemed to be her friend. Whether or not it was real was still up in the air, but she never bullied Marinette or anything like that. In fact, she complimented Marinette mostly. None of it seemed to help, but he knew that Alya really appreciated her attempt to cheer Marinette up. He really just hoped that Marinette would somehow come back and they could all forget the sight of a hopeless Marinette. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One morning, he was walking into school, mentally going over material for the physics test they had that morning. His grades weren’t suffering, but this material was slightly challenging. He was so distracted that he missed the tone of the classroom. Everyone was practically waiting with bated breath. It was almost like everyone knew a storm was coming, but they didn’t know what would trigger it. Nino was no exception to the weird feeling. He was glowering at his physics book until a small jab made him turn around. Alya was looking at him expectantly and then clearly gestured towards Adrien. He tightened his lips and nodded in return. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Adrien,” Nino broke the silence and his best friend looked at him, clearly distracted, “I need to speak to you. Privately, if you could.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien’s eyebrows furrowed at Nino and how he was acting. There was something stiff about his actions, but whatever was troubling, he would do his best to help. “Sure! During lunchtime okay?” He only nodded before looking at his physics book again. Adrien shook off the weird encounter and focused again on physics. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the day went on, Adrien left the classroom feeling very confident about the test</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he had just taken. He had agreed to meet Nino in the courtyard and he saw his friend already in one of the corners, clearly hyping himself up for something. His hat was off, a rare occurrence by itself, and Nino was wringing it in his hands. It was a nervous habit that Adrien rarely saw him do. “Nino, is everything okay?” he gently asked, growing more concerned by the second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what she’s doing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The simple question confused him. He had no idea what he was talking about, but Nino was looking at him rather knowingly. A thought occurred. Maybe, he knew about Lila and her lies. It almost relieved him to think that someone else would share the burden of knowing with him. Still, he had to tread carefully. “ Who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Adrien, I get that she’s your childhood friend and you don’t want to hurt her, but she has gone too far this time.” He sighed, clearly disappointed. “If you want, you don’t have to talk to her and no one will say that you said anything. We all just want her to stop. This </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing </span>
  </em>
  <span>she has with Marinette is too much.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think Chloé is behind all of this? That I knew anything about this?” He asked. Adrien didn’t exactly like what Nino was implying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who else, man?” Nino glared at the floor. “She’s always hated Marinette, even when we were kids. I wouldn’t put it past her.” He always hated that he never stood up for anyone, especially Marinette, when Chloé was on a rampage. Lately, she seemed to be standing up for herself rather well, but Nino wasn’t going to idly stand by like he did before. He might actually hate himself forever if he let this happen to Marinette. Alya was furious when they talked before, but Nino was coldly fuming. He didn’t like being angry, but it was for a good cause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien, on the other hand, was going back between acting dignified, like his father taught him, or bursting. “You think that, if I had the slightest clue why Marinette was unhappy, I wouldn’t tell anyone? Or better yet, not try to fix the problem myself?” It was cold. Adrien was a lot like his father, even if he hated to think about it.  He wasn’t raising his voice, but he was clearly angry and upset. He had been so worried about his friend, yet he was being interrogated as if he was the problem. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Adrien.” His tone was cold, which was odd for Nino. “You rarely stand up to her enough as is. She just keeps getting away with these kinds of things and Marinette doesn’t deserve to go through any of this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have never supported Chloé’s behavior.” A tight feeling was settling in his chest and his heart rate raised. He had always made it very clear that he didn’t like how Chloé was so mean sometimes. Adrien couldn’t do a thing to change it, but he wished he could. Intervening would only upset Chloé and, lo and behold, his father might hear about the situation. An attitude problem would be the perfect reason to take him out of school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, I would believe that if you have done anything to prove that,” Nino retorted, clenching his fist, “I don’t care if you’re scared or whatever, but I didn’t stand up for Marinette once and I’m not doing that again.” There was silence and a weird tension between the two. “Look, I wanted you to know that we are going to confront her about it and please, just do what you always do.” He picked up his backpack and put his hat on his head. “Don’t do anything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nino, that’s not fair and you know it,” Adrien stated with an edge in his voice. “My father would-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you right now, dude,” Nino finally had enough and faced Adrien again, their eyes meeting. “I know your father is strict, but you can’t blame this on him.” His gaze was steely, but he was clearly upset, possibly disappointed with how this encounter had gone. “Marinette is… she’s really hurt and no one is doing anything about it. You know her parents are worried sick about her? She’s not eating as much. She locks herself in her room. You doing nothing might keep your dad satisfied, but Marinette is suffering and it feels like you don’t even care. All I’m asking is that you stand up for a friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien noticed just how emotional Nino was and immediately looked up to see if a notorious purple butterfly was nearby. “Nino, you know I care, but you need to calm dow-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I am sick of everyone telling me to calm down!” Nino burst, which caused a few heads to be turned towards the two. “Does that actually help anyone? I am going to do everything I can to help Marinette, something I should have done a long time ago. If I get worked up, at least I know I’m actually feeling something.” Finally, he started walking away from the confused boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea if Chloé is behind this, but, if I even thought for a second she was, I don’t care if she were </span>
  <em>
    <span>related</span>
  </em>
  <span> to me,” Adrien helplessly called after him, “ You said it yourself. Whoever did this has gone too far.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, what are you going to do about it, Adrien?” And with that, Nino was gone, leaving Adrien with his racing mind and a slew of eyes on him. He quickly went to the bathroom and shut a stall so he could be alone. Thankfully, no one was there and Plagg was able to come out of his bag. “Kid…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would he say all those things, Plagg?” Adrien moped. The feeling in his chest had yet to go away, but he wondered if it was a horrible sense of guilt. Marinette was being hurt and he could do nothing about it. He didn’t know what he even could do. His tears surprised him and Plagg gently wiped them away. This might be the first time Plagg had ever been so understanding. “What should I do? I want to help Marinette! I really do, but I just don’t know how.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, do you think Nino is right about Chloé? Maybe talking to her would help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! This isn’t something Chloé would do. Nothing she could do to Marinette ever affected her like this,” he sniffed before wiping his eyes. Crying in the bathroom, how pathetic. What he wouldn’t give to turn into Chat Noir and  just jump out the window. Leave and never be found again. As his head was getting clearer, a certain part of the conversation resurfaced in his mind. “Wait!” He perked up. “They’re going to confront Chloé. I have to go before anything horrible happens!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plagg merely nodded before going back to the bag. Adrien ran out of the bathroom and quickly towards the classroom. As he turned the corner, he almost ran into someone, but he managed to stop himself. Before he could automatically apologize, Adrien realized just who was in front of him. “Marinette?” Her eyes were rimmed red and his gaze turned more concerned. He was about to say something when she ran past him, covering her mouth. “Marinette!” He desperately called after her. What had happened? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got this, Adrien.” He nearly jumped out of his own skin when he heard Lila behind him. Turning to face her, he noticed a slight smugness in her expression before a look of concern replaced it. A cold chill ran down his spine at the possibility that Lila might be enjoying this. “You should go to class. It is really chaotic right now and I think they’re all ganging up on Chloé?” He looked in the direction Marinette went, clearly conflicted. Lila smiled sweetly and mentioned, “I’ll go after Marinette." He clearly hesitated and she laughed as if he was acting silly. "Well, don’t you trust me?” His eyes narrowed at the mention, which shocked both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without a word, he swiftly went to the classroom. There were still a few minutes before class started, but it was almost like a warzone. Alya and Nino were standing in front of Chloé’s desk, clearly arguing with the mayor’s daughter. The class had interjected a few times, but it was clearly between the three of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, now four. “Hey! What is happening?” He interjected, standing next to the desk, perfectly between the two parties. Time for Adrien to finally do something. He would do anything for Marinette, even if it meant his father would pull him out of school. Adrien listened to Chloé’s insistence that she did nothing, but he interrupted her, “You are all arguing about who did it. That doesn’t matter right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-!” Alya was about to speak, but quieted at the sight of Adrien’s determination.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette just ran out crying. We can find out who is responsible later. We need to help her right now. Before it’s too late.” Adrien caught Nino’s eye who smirked and nodded. He nodded back. The two knew that the argument didn’t mean the end of their friendship. Adrien needed to hear what he was so clearly avoiding. “So, who’s with me? </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Adrien witnessed something that made the situation a lot clearer.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a bit of an author's note here. Sorry if some of you feel that this story might be a bit rushed. I'm writing this as a short story so I won't lose interest.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Adrien and Nino silently walked through the hallways, keeping an eye out for Marinette. Most of the class agreed with him and they all split up to try to find her before class started in ten minutes. Alya, Juleka, and Rose were checking the bathrooms, but everyone else just partnered up and went in different directions. Adrien refused to look at Nino, still feeling a bit down from their previous interaction. Did Nino really think he was such a coward? That he wouldn’t stand up for Marinette? He was Chat Noir, so, of course he knew he wasn’t a coward. Adrien on the other hand? </p><p>“Adrien?” Nino broke the silence and he looked up at him. His friend offered a sort of smile, but it was clear he wasn’t happy in the slightest. “I’m really sorry. About before, I mean.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.” </p><p>“Hey, you were right,” he replied, trying to defend Nino’s actions. </p><p>He immediately stated, “That doesn’t matter. I don’t like getting angry like that. It’s not me.” Nino looked in an empty classroom before turning back to Adrien. “And I shouldn’t have assumed that you knew anything about this. I mean, I would get pretty upset if you thought I had something to do with this. I’m sorry.” </p><p>Adrien smiled, just wanting to move on. “Really, Nino. It’s fine. I’m alright.” Nino looked like he wanted to say something else, yet he just looked forward, hoping to spot their friend. </p><p>The two continued in silence, but to no avail. Marinette was nowhere to be found and eventually they had to go back to class. Adrien only felt worse as he went to his seat. How could he help if he rarely saw Marinette anymore? He still didn’t know the exact reason behind her behavior, but Lila’s smugness when he ran into her only made him wonder. She had disappeared as well. Still, they seemed like they were friends. Then again, Lila’s arrival and their sudden friendship did mark the beginning of this whole thing. Maybe, he should ask Alya about their friendship. </p><p>The day went on and the class was practically miserable. Everyone had begun to feel like they had somehow failed Marinette, someone who did so much for them. Alya whispered to Nino and Adrien that Mme Cheng had texted her from Marinette’s phone and explained that she had come home after being sick at school. Alya was going to bring her work after school, but Marinette did not want any other company for now. After multiple requests that she would update them about Marinette, Adrien and Nino let her go. </p><p>That night, Chat Noir found himself on the roof that they agreed to meet on last time, waiting for his Lady. She was running a little late, but he didn’t notice since he was too lost in his own thoughts. When she finally landed on the roof, Ladybug found Chat looking off in the distance, clearly distracted. Not distracted enough to not turn when he heard her, but it was enough. “I hope you haven’t been waiting too long for me.” Ladybug asked immediately, “Is everything okay, Chaton?”</p><p>Sighing, he turned back towards the city view. “Something in my civilian life is bothering me. Unfortunately, nothing you can help me with, my Lady.” She took a seat next to him, placing the baked goods from Marinette’s parents’ bakery. The sight of the label only made him feel worse, but the scent of the croissants were too enticing. Soon enough, he had taken one and began eating it. What a conflicted croissant it was. </p><p>“Wow, not even food lifted your mood,” she remarked lightly, “Must be serious.” Instead of taking one for herself, Ladybug just sat in silence. She didn’t want to push her partner to talk about something. What if he thought she was annoying? Too obsessive? She never used to worry about those sort of things when she was Ladybug, but, after that talk with Lila earlier, she couldn’t even use Ladybug to escape those thoughts. Somehow, she left that encounter feeling worse about herself, something she didn’t even think was possible.</p><p>“Yeah.” A moment of silence passed between the two as Chat finished his first croissant. Glancing at her, he pushed the box towards her. “Aren’t you going to have any?” </p><p>“Oh, I wasn’t feeling well today, so I’m not really hungry.” Not a complete lie, but the thought of even somewhat lying to her closest friend did make her feel worse. How was she even better than Lila? She had been lying more in the past couple months than she ever had in her entire life. Her one comfort was being herself around Chat Noir. Guess even Ladybug can’t fix the absolute disaster Marinette was. </p><p>“I hope you’re feeling better,” Chat remarked while taking another croissant. Something was off about her, something big. He had been aware that something happened in her civilian life, but tonight was so different from their usual patrols. Conversation rarely was awkward and there was hardly any moment of quietness. Taking one more glance at her, Chat suddenly realized how much her body language looked like Marinette’s. Her shoulders were slightly down, shielding herself in. Her lips were pursed, as if she was worried about saying something wrong. He immediately set the croissant down on a napkin and turned his whole body to hers. “Are you okay?” </p><p>Her eyes widened slightly at the sudden movement. “Chat! You startled me.” His eyes did not look away from hers. “Just something in my civilian life. I don’t really want to talk about it. You know that.” </p><p>“No, something has happened and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.” Taking a breath, he looked at his hands before suggesting, “I know we can’t know our civilian identities, so how about no specifics? You tell me the bare minimum of what is happening and I can help!” Chat looked so eager to help finally. He would be able to fix at least one thing. </p><p>Ladybug couldn’t say no to her partner, especially with no way of arguing against his logic. She looked at him before looking at her own legs and saying, “There’s this girl. She’s my friend, but she is so judgemental about every little thing I do.” Playing with her fingers, Ladybug continued, “Today, she said some hurtful things accidentally.” She saw the look on Chat’s face so she quickly added, “She’s just trying to help.” She paused. “I think.” </p><p>“My Lady, I don’t think being hurtful helps anyone,” he replied after carefully thinking about what to say. It was so odd to think that Ladybug of all people needs constant criticism. She was brave, kind, compassionate, and the list could go on forever. Chat didn’t know who she was, but he had no doubt in his mind that she would be miraculous, with or without the mask. “Have you considered that she might not have good intentions at all? Like, maybe she’s jealous or unhappy with herself.” Afterall, he had seen the same things happen between models. It was difficult to actually tell what was a compliment and what was a carefully constructed insult. Some models actually develop serious mental health issues over what others say about them. </p><p>“What would she have to be jealous about?” Ladybug asked in such a miserable tone. </p><p>Chat couldn’t even believe what he was hearing. He wanted to gape at whoever was sitting next to him, because it sure wasn’t the Ladybug he knew and loved. He couldn’t tell if he wanted to comfort her all night or leave to find whoever made his Lady believe that she was anything less than spectacular. “What would she have to be jealous about?” he repeated incredulously, “Have you seen yourself?” A cheeky grin appeared on his face. “You’re maybe the bravest person I know. Not to mention kind, smart, sympathetic, beautiful, obviously.” She scoffed at the last one, but a small smile rested on her lips. “My Lady, even if you were only half as great in your civilian form, you are still way ahead of everyone else. What wouldn’t this person have to be jealous over?” </p><p>The night went with no other hitch, conversation flowing between the two as it never had before. It was rather late when Adrien actually went to bed, making him more sluggish in the morning than he normally was. Nathalie was clearly concerned, but she must have just chalked it up to a bad night’s rest. When he finally got to school, he noted that Marinette didn’t look like she slept much last night either. However, something was different. She was sitting straight and her eyes were more vibrant than the day before. She was even talking to Alya like she used to. Adrien smiled, thinking that everything might just be turning around. </p><p>During lunch, he had requested to come back to school earlier so he might get a headstart on his homework. The limo dropped him off in the front of school and he walked up the steps, umbrella in hand. It had started raining during lunch so Nathalie made sure he left with the umbrella so he wouldn’t catch a cold. He would normally leave it in his locker, but he wanted to stop in the class first to pick up a book he must have forgotten and then go to the library. </p><p>Hearing very familiar voices in the empty classroom, he paused right before the door so he wouldn’t disturb whatever meeting was going on. He recognized Lila’s voice, which was strange. Normally, she would spend lunchtime telling fantastical stories about her numerous connections with different celebrities. Before he could wonder who she was talking to, Marinette left the classroom, clearly distraught. She didn’t notice Adrien at all, clearly focused on something in her hands. Whatever confidence she possessed that morning had vanished and she threw something in the trash can before going towards the exit. He could have sworn that he saw some tears in her eyes. </p><p>Quickly, he looked at the trash to see a familiar looking book on the very top. There were white polka dots adorning the pink book and a swirly M was added to the cover. His eyes widened when he realized that it was her prized sketchbook and he snatched it away. Looking back towards the classroom, it all suddenly became clear to Adrien and his grip on the book tightened. Whatever Lila said to her prompted her to get rid of her sketchbook and he would bet anything that she was the real reason behind all of this. She was targeting Marinette, making her believe all of these horrible things and pretending to be her true friend. She had just seemed so nonchalant about this whole thing, even smug at times, while Alya was panicking, trying to find out what was wrong.</p><p>Adrien deeply wanted to go back into the classroom and Cataclysm the Italian girl for messing with the sweetest girl he had ever met. Why on Earth would she even want to hurt Marinette in the first place? He resisted the temptation, which might have been the most challenging thing he had ever done, and ran after Marinette, her sketchbook being hastily placed in his book bag so the rain wouldn’t ruin it. </p><p>Marinette was outside, hugging herself as she walked towards her home. It was raining so hard, but she didn’t seem to notice. He quickened his pace until she could finally hear him calling her name. Turning around, her red rimmed eyes met his. “A-Adrien?” Her voice was shaky, nothing at all like it should be. </p><p>“She’s a liar!” Adrien declared, seeing the confusion in her eyes. It was a rather sudden way of revealing that a friend is a liar so he continued, “Please, you have to believe me. Lila is lying about everything.” He took a breath, feeling almost relieved to have said it. It was horrible keeping it a secret, especially with how intrusive Lila had proven to be. “Marinette, you shouldn’t listen to a single thing she says. She’s just a liar.”</p><p>She didn’t immediately react, which was puzzling for Adrien. Finally, she looked straight at him with absolutely no warmth, something he associated with Marinette. “I know.” </p><p>“What?” Her statement was simple enough, but it practically left Adrien speechless. When did Marinette find out? Before he could say anything, he looked at her properly and noticed just how soaked she was becoming. “Oh goodness, I completely forgot. Here.” He held the umbrella towards her, suddenly overcome with déjà vu. Adrien had met Marinette in the rain and offered her his umbrella. It was the best decision he had ever made.</p><p>“I don’t need your umbrella.” Her grip around herself only tightened as the rain continued. “I already know that Lila is a liar. I’ve known since she came back to class.” She seemed so casual about this whole thing and Adrien couldn’t wrap his head around this whole revelation. </p><p>“Marinette, why haven’t you said anything? You’re clearly being hurt,” he helplessly stated. </p><p>“I would be more hurt if I said something,” Marinette admitted, still obviously distant. This is the most the two had spoken recently. He had missed being her friend, but this conversation only made him realize just how much he missed Marinette. “She told me that she would turn my friends against me if I didn’t agree with her.” </p><p>“And you believed that?” Everyone in class adored her. Did Marinette really believe that they would abandon her because of some pretty stories? He shuddered to think how Lila might have convinced her. Adrien just wanted to protect Marinette from everything that liar has ever made her believe, but it was clearly more complicated. </p><p>“Why shouldn’t I?” She took a step away from him. </p><p>“Marinette, please let me help you,” he pleaded. </p><p>She smiled sadly, which only made him shiver. “I’m hurt either way, Adrien. Besides, isn’t that why you haven’t said anything? How much can she really hurt us?” Marinette began walking away. </p><p>Adrien almost felt like she would be lost forever if he didn’t help her. If he just let her walk away, he might as well be saying goodbye to the real Marinette. Whoever was standing in front of him wasn’t Marinette. She cared so much about others so why couldn’t she care for herself? This had gone too far and he had to do something. He gently grabbed her arm so Marinette was facing him again and looked straight into her eyes. “Lila is hurting me.” </p><p>She blinked, almost dazed. “What?” </p><p>Frowning, Adrien continued, “She doesn’t stop touching me, even when I tell her to stop. She practically controls all of my free time so I can’t even think about getting away from her.” He looked down, the stress of the situation only making him feel worse. She was suffocating him and Adrien couldn't even say 'no' because of his father. What if she didn’t care? He almost couldn't blame her. Marinette believed that everyone would abandon her because of Lila. Maybe, she didn’t care about them anymore. Still, he made one more plea, “Please, Marinette. I need your help.” </p><p>He wasn’t looking at her, but his senses were heightened, even when he wasn’t Chat Noir. Adrien knew that she was stepping closer to him and, with every step, his hope grew. Finally, they were both under the umbrella and Adrien looked down into Marinette’s eyes. A familiar fire, something he hadn’t seen in a while, was in her eyes. Her determination was evident in her face. She was practically glowing in Adrien’s eyes. “Time to expose a liar.” </p><p>The real Marinette was back and ready to protect her loved ones, like she always did. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Adrien talks with his father and Gabriel reevaluates some previous decisions.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Walking to her home with Adrien would have normally meant that Marinette would be either silent or stuttering the entire way. However, her mind was too busy to even register that she was walking next to anyone. He kept glancing at her yet he didn’t say anything. They were both soaked from the rain, but Adrien held his umbrella over both of their heads so it wouldn’t get worse. The bakery was busy, like it always was during lunch, so Sabine didn’t notice them until they reached the door to the apartment.</p><p>“Oh! Marinette!” she mentioned while smiling sweetly, “I didn’t know you would be bringing Ad-” Her eyes widened at the state of the two. “Goodness! Go upstairs and dry off. Marinette, you were just sick so please have some of the soup for lunch.” Realizing that the customers were looking rather impatient, Sabine offered one last smile and wave before returning to her job.</p><p>“Will do, Maman!” With that, she took Adrien’s hand and dragged him out of the bakery. After not seeing Marinette acting like herself for so long, it was such a shock to him. The biggest shock was how confident she was acting around him. He knew that she felt shy around him, probably because he is a model and the son of her favorite fashion designer. Adrien smiled at the idea that Marinette might finally be warming up to him. Offering a half smile once they got to her kitchen, she apologized, “Sorry if you wanted something downstairs. If you want, you can pick out something when you leave.”</p><p>He pleasantly replied, “No, it’s okay! I’ve been having quite a lot of pastries from here lately.”</p><p>“You have?” Marinette looked at him skeptically before looking for some towels they can use.</p><p>Adrien’s eyes widened as he realized his mistake. He hadn’t been eating the delicious pastries. Chat Noir had with Ladybug. How would Adrien even claim to have access to any food from her bakery? If anything, he just seemed like a liar, which was definitely not appropriate for the situation. She came back with a few towels and he graciously accepted the one she offered. “Oh, a friend of mine has been bringing some for me.” Vague, but not technically a lie. Marinette seemed to accept the answer, afterall.</p><p>The two had some soup, grateful for the warmth it provided. Again, Marinette was lost in her own thoughts. Sure, it was easy to want to prove that Lila was lying, but it was another thing to actually do it. The class was enamoured with her stories and, like she had said in the bathroom, she only said what people wanted to hear. Even though her classmates were not stupid, they did want to believe that one of their friends could introduce them to their favorite celebrities. She didn’t want to think about how she might have reacted to Lila’s lies if she didn’t catch her lying about being Ladybug’s best friend and using the fox Miraculous. Would Marinette have believed that Lila would introduce her to some impressive designers and help her with Adrien?</p><p>Adrien just ate his soup in silence, wondering if he should say something. They did not get a chance to properly talk before Sabine came upstairs to tell them that they should go back to school. She had insisted on feeling Marinette’s forehead and decided that she shouldn’t go back to school. Sabine was too worried that she would get sick again. As her mother left to call the teacher, Adrien turned to Marinette. The least he could do was offer some reassurance. “Everything is going to be okay, Marinette,” he reassured her, “We’re in this together now.”</p><p>Nodding, she responded confidently, “Good to know. We need to make a plan.” Her expression almost reminded him of Ladybug coming up with solutions with her Lucky Charm. This problem was not as simple as an Akuma, but he had no doubt that they would solve it. “Can you talk to your father about hanging out with me this weekend? I know you have a very strict schedule, so we can just talk online if need be.”</p><p>Adrien grabbed his things, wondering how he might convince his father to cancel the “date” he had with Lila on Saturday. Maybe, he could sneak out as Chat Noir for an hour or two. Then again, if his father found out that he left the house without permission, he might just make sure that Adrien had even less freedom than before. His blonde hair was still damp, so he had to push some of it out of his face when he turned to Marinette. “I’ll try, but I’ll make sure to text you what happens.” Leaving the bakery, Adrien just kept formulating plans of how to approach his father about Lila in the first place.</p><p>School was exhausting. He had mentioned that he took a sick Marinette home and, suddenly, Alya and the rest of the class latched onto him for information. Lila took this as an opportunity to hang around Adrien under the impression that she wanted to know if Marinette was okay. Knowing just what she put Marinette through, Adrien found it difficult to maintain polite behavior around her. Nino looked at the pair, clearly wondering why Adrien looked uncomfortable and why Lila wasn’t leaving him alone. He actually saved his friend from that conversation, leaving Lila to talk with Alya. Adrien quietly thanked him, but wouldn’t elaborate exactly why he was so uncomfortable in the first place.</p><p>When he got home, all he wanted to do was sleep. Obviously, he couldn’t. Adrien had Chinese and piano lessons that he had to attend before he could even imagine seeing his father. He had requested that his father join him for dinner, but Nathalie informed him that Gabriel wouldn’t be able to see him then. He could squeeze his son in for ten minutes after dinner. Instead of an entire dinner to convince his father, he would only have ten minutes, something that wasn’t entirely comforting.</p><p>While he was doing his homework, Adrien noticed the pink and black book still in his book bag. He forgot that he took Marinette’s sketchbook before chasing after her. It must have just slipped his mind once he found out just what happened to her. Once he was called for dinner, he actually brought it with him so he could look at it. She had shown him some of her designs before, but he was a naturally curious person and welcomed the distraction from his lonely dinner.</p><p>He opened to a random page once his food was served, careful not to spill anything on it. It looked rather clean from being thrown away that day, which was rather lucky. Marinette’s designs were just as impressive as he remembered. So much thought was put into these designs and, even though he wasn’t much of a designer himself, Adrien could still appreciate how much skill she possessed. Dinner went by much faster with something to look at. He hadn’t even realized it until Nathalie mentioned that his father was waiting for him.</p><p>Grabbing the book, Adrien followed her to his father’s office. Gabriel was sitting at his desk, clearly annoyed at whatever he was looking at on his computer. Not a great sign, Adrien recognized. If his father was already this displeased, he couldn’t imagine this encounter working in his favor. He stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back, waiting for his father to acknowledge him. If he interrupted now, Gabriel would only be more irritated. Finally, Gabriel shut off the monitor with a sigh and looked at his son. “What is it that you would like to discuss, Adrien?”</p><p>Very curt, like he normally was. No pleasantries, of course. “Hello, father,” Adrien replied, “I was hoping to discuss the continued use of Lila as my partner in these photoshoots.” He knew well enough that his father responded well if Adrien treated matters like these as business ordeals. Acting like a son trying to get his parents’ permission didn’t work for Adrien, something he learned since starting public school. Adrien Agreste couldn’t say he was entirely unlike his father in certain aspects.</p><p>“Very well. I was actually going to speak with you about this soon, but, since you are here, we can talk now,” Gabriel stated with a nod. “It is no surprise that the public enjoys these photoshoots and I wonder just how much more popular they would be if it were to be announced that the two of you were romantically involved.”</p><p>His jaw clenched at the mentioned, and he fought to keep the look of disgust off his face. His father discussing his relationships as a business advantage was no surprise, but it didn’t make the conversation easier for Adrien to handle. “Actually, I wish to stop associating myself with Lila Rossi.” His father didn’t immediately respond, so he continued, “She has shown that she lies about her celebrity connections and, when it is revealed, public opinion of her will plummet. Honestly, her presence makes me very uncomfortable.”</p><p>Gabriel was shocked, but he merely looked at his son as if he simply didn’t understand how these things worked. “Well, Adrien, sometimes you will be forced to work with people who you do not like, but it would hardly be appropriate to just refuse to work with them.” Already, Adrien felt his heart sinking. This wasn’t looking too good for him. His shoulders unintentionally lowered and his hands were no longer behind his back. Gabriel’s eyes narrowed at the action and was prepared to scold Adrien, but seeing the pink book in his hand made him pause. “Adrien, what is in your hands?”</p><p>Looking down, he realized that he had brought Marinette’s sketchbook to his father’s office by accident. “Oh, it’s my friend’s sketchbook. The one who won the derby hat competition, Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” His eyes went back to the book with a look of fondness that was not missed by his father.</p><p>Gabriel did remember his son’s classmate. He was aware that she was a rather talented designer, but she still had a long way to go before she could make it in the Parisian fashion world. Other than that, he only knew that, according to Nathalie, Adrien considered her to be a good friend, along with two of his other classmates. “And why do you have it?” He asked carefully.</p><p>Adrien hesitated for a second before answering, “Marinette threw it away after a confrontation with Lila. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I guess Lila might have made her believe that she should give up.” He looked at the sketchbook with some forlorn expression. He still couldn’t believe that she was so convinced that Lila’s criticisms were right. Forgetting exactly who he was talking to, he continued, “Marinette hasn’t really been the same since she started hanging out with Lila. We’re all really worried.”</p><p>Deep in thought, Gabriel thought about what Adrien had said. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was not the most talented designer he had seen. For heaven’s sake, thousands of designers applied for a job at his fashion company. Lila was a valuable person, simply considering her skills as a liar and manipulator. In fact, she could even make it possible for him to akumatize Marinette, what was once thought to be impossible. Gabriel couldn’t imagine just how powerful an akuma Miss Dupain-Cheng would be. Clearly, she was a valuable person for Hawkmoth, but for Gabriel?</p><p>Lila was a subpar model, simply able to smile and look okay next to Adrien. However, Adrien has expressed his clear disinterest and, while his son could somewhat act, there was bound to be some sort of slip-up. A photographer capturing a moment of disgust. An interviewer asking a difficult question that could lead to potentially awkward answers. It would ruin the image of young teenagers infatuated with each other. Gabriel had considered Kagami, who came from an influential family with a high social status. Unfortunately, in trying to push Lila and Adrien together, the two haven’t seen each other in quite some time. The public opinion of her was also less to be desired. She was seen as unfeeling and closed off, which was not very appealing for a romantic relationship if he were to get any use from it.</p><p>Marinette Dupain-Cheng, on the other hand? Of course, her social standing as the daughter of bakers wasn’t as preferable as Kagami’s, but it was respectable enough. She does have the celebrity connections to overlook her background. If it didn’t, her background could illustrate the story of Adrien ending up with a normal girl, who was talented yet humble. The news outlets would find their relationship almost fairytale-like and write about the designer and the model. Marinette being new to the public eye could lead to no previous negative opinion concerning her. He had spoken with Marinette before and, while she was nervous and a little all over the place, the public might find it endearing. She had feelings for Adrien, or at least Nathalie predicted she did, and the two would look very well together in photoshoots.</p><p>Considering just how Adrien was looking at her sketchbook, he wouldn’t be surprised if his son harbored some feelings for his classmate or, at the very least, was fond of her. Suddenly, the problems that Adrien might experience with Lila would vanish. They would, at least, appear to be fond of each other. This could also be an opportunity to “allow” Adrien some choice in the matter, letting him believe that he had some say in it so he wouldn’t rebel against the very idea. He obviously preferred his classmate over Lila. Really, Marinette Dupain-Cheng would not be a poor choice for Adrien's future girlfriend.</p><p>Of course, if Lila continued to change her, the option wouldn’t exist anymore. She might be of some value to Hawkmoth, but Marinette was clearly more valuable to Gabriel Agreste. On the bright side, Lila, after feeling anger towards him for canceling their deal, would be akumatized. She was, after all, a very strong akuma and could possibly bring him Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous after all this time. He would have to discuss this with Nathalie. “Might I see it?” His son immediately held the book closer to his side, obviously about to try and deny what his father requested. Seeing Adrien’s initial reluctance, Gabriel offered a nod. After all, if he was going to associate Marinette with the Agreste brand, he had to know exactly how much she had improved and how he might subtly help. “I will not damage it and I will return it in the morning before you depart for school.”</p><p>His expression showed some minor hesitation, but, ultimately, Adrien placed the sketchbook on his father’s desk. “Yes, father.” With no other words, he left the office, feeling defeated. Plagg had tried to cheer him up, but Adrien just went to his room to practice piano and complete some homework before finally being able to go to sleep.</p><p>With Marinette’s sketchbook safely in his bag, Adrien was sitting across from Nathalie in the limo and looking out the window. He still felt disappointed that his father wouldn’t listen to him about Lila. Every single one of his friendships were supposed to be like businesses to his father. He was surprised that he was allowed to make friends at school. Nathalie cleared her throat, making it clear that she knew Adrien wasn’t listening to her. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologized good naturedly, “Just a bit distracted today.”</p><p>“It is alright, Adrien,” she replied, “Just don’t make a habit of not paying attention.” She looked down at her tablet before looking at him. “Your father wanted me to make you aware of your outing with Miss. Rossi tomorrow being cancelled.”</p><p>The sentence made him visibly perk up and he looked at Nathalie with clear disbelief in his eyes. “Really?”</p><p>“Yes. As requested, you will no longer have to associate with Lila Rossi. Your father decided this morning when he gave me the sketchbook.”</p><p>His father seemed so sure of his decision and he truly had no idea what prompted this change. Perhaps, he realized that Adrien’s comfortableness was more important than business ordeals? Unlikely, if he was being honest. Still, Adrien tried to contain his smile as he requested, “Please express my thanks to my father.”</p><p>When he finally arrived at school, Adrien could no longer contain his smile. Just the idea of no longer having to pretend that he was friends or anything more with Lila made him so relieved, like he could finally breathe again. Alya and Nino were talking in front of the school and noticed his approach. “Woah, someone’s happy,” Alya mentioned with a laugh, “Why have you blessed us with your smile, sunshine?”</p><p>“I just got some really great news from my father,” he beamed, “Have you seen Marinette, by any chance?”</p><p>“Actually, no,” Nino mentioned, “Hope she’s not still sick.” The three walked into class, talking normally for the first time in months. Adrien was positive things would get better, especially since he could now properly help Marinette. She wasn’t in the classroom, which was odd. Weirdly enough, she had begun showing up to school on time, even though Marinette always looked extremely tired. He really hoped she wasn’t still sick.</p><p>Everyone filtered into class and Adrien only smiled tightly in return to Lila’s greeting. Knowing that she was the cause of Marinette’s misery made it all the more harder to act cordial, at least. It was clear that Gabriel had yet to tell her that she would no longer be working for him or spending as much time with Adrien. Class was about to start and Marinette was still nowhere to be seen, so Adrien began taking out his books instead of glancing at the door every five seconds.</p><p>“Ah! So sorry I’m late!” It had been a while since the class heard that phrase. Even Miss. Bustier seemed shocked, but she concealed it and simply nodded in response. Adrien almost dropped his book on the floor when he saw who walked through the door. His eyes were wide, along with everyone else’s. Marinette stood in the doorway, fumbling with her backpack, before making her way to her seat. Instead of wearing those ill fitting t-shirts and leggings, her outfit was cute and put together. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had made it herself, like she used to do. Her pink blouse was tucked into a skirt with flowers on it. She seemed so at ease in such an adorable ensemble. It was soft and warm and so clearly Marinette.</p><p>It was the warmness that he associated with Marinette, something he so desperately missed for the past couple of months. Somehow, she made him and the people around her feel comforted or simply at home. He didn’t realize just how much he missed the old Marinette until she appeared right in front of him with her sparkling blue eyes and gentle smile.</p><p>Adrien started blushing when he noticed her hairstyle. She had put her hair back into the classic pigtails, but he hadn’t noticed how long her hair had gotten since she started wearing her hair differently. Her pigtails used to come down to her shoulders. Her longer pigtails and bangs framing her face made her look more like a character from an anime that Adrien would secretly enjoy. When she walked past him, Marinette offered a smile, silently thanking him for yesterday. Unfortunately, his brain had stopped working the second he realized that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was so cute that she might actually be the death of him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this took me so long! My summer classes have started and I've spent most of my time working on them. I really hope you like it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The veil is lifted for someone else and Lila unknowingly sets her own fall in motion.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marinette, after stumbling through the door to the classroom, quickly made her way back to her seat. It had been such a long time since she had worn something that she actually liked on herself and a part of her went in the classroom before straightening up so her courage wouldn’t disappear about this whole thing. Before she ran out of the bakery, Sabine had praised the outfit and questioned about the fabric for the skirt, which made Marinette feel better about this whole situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was still a drastic departure from wearing clothes that she hoped would not bring too much attention to her. Tikki, who had done her best to support and encourage Marinette for the last day, gently pushed against the purse, reminding her of the kwami’s unconditional love and comfort. Feeling her pigtails on her shoulders also gave her reassurance. Lately, she had only been wearing that hairstyle as Ladybug so they provided a form of comfort, even if they were longer than she remembered. She’d have to ask Tikki if it was normal for her Ladybug hairstyle to be different than her civilian hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Avoiding Lila’s stare, Marinette offered a small smile to Adrien, something Alya didn’t miss, at all. She started whispering, but, before Marinette could process what she was saying, Miss Bustier cleared her throat at the two. Offering apologies simultaneously, the two got their books out and started working. When the teacher turned to face the chalkboard, Alya quickly met Marinette’s eyes, looked at Adrien, and raised her eyebrows. The two hadn’t talked about the model and Marinette’s crush in a while, after Marinette began actively avoiding the subject of Adrien altogether. She offered a shrug and a silent promise to talk in between classes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To say Lila was shocked was an understatement. After their conversation yesterday, she had thought that Marinette Dupain-Cheng would no longer be a problem. Honestly, their conversation was simply a tipping point that should have sent her spiraling, never to return. Lila would have acted heartbroken over how Marinette had changed and gained even more sympathy from their classmates. Alya wasn’t the only one who noticed Marinette’s smile towards Adrien and Lila fought the urge to glare at her notebook. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite their dates, Adrien had remained rather distant. She shouldn’t worry, considering her little agreement with Mr. Agreste, but Adrien’s blush didn’t sit well with her. He never looked at her like that after all and Marinette barely put in any effort. Her outfit was so juvenile, she thought bitterly. No one would ever take her seriously with clothes like that and her energetic and all over the place personality. Lila could dress cute if she wanted to, but she found it hard to believe that Adrien would look twice at her even if she did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alix nudged her subtly, making Lila turn to her seatmate. Her blue eyes looked confused and, checking to make sure Miss Bustier wasn’t looking, she mouthed, “You okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all honesty, Lila didn’t know when she started scowling while taking notes. No wonder Alix looked concerned, yet curious. The class rarely saw Lila annoyed or mad at anything. They all thought she was practically incapable of being anything but nice. A sickly sweet smile replaced the scowl and she nodded, before mouthing, “Just tired.” Alix accepted the answer and went back to taking notes, but not without sending one more glance towards Lila. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She forced herself to take a breath and keep her face neutral. Yes, there was clearly a setback in the Marinette department, but it could be easily fixed. No one could change so drastically in less than twenty four hours. Her date with Adrien would surely send Marinette spiraling down yet again. If only these dates actually progressed to anything other than rumors. Nevertheless, she had to trust Mr. Agreste’s judgement in the matter. Adrien would soon be hers and Marinette would never be a problem again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Class went by rather quickly, but Marinette could not stop thinking about how she might help Adrien, like she promised. She couldn’t believe that she didn’t notice how uncomfortable he was feeling around Lila. Gosh, she used to revel in the moments that Lila was with Adrien since it meant that she wouldn’t be talking to her. If she had known what was really happening, she would have never let it go this far. Marinette felt awful that she did nothing in the first place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, she took the easy way out. That wasn’t what Ladybug was supposed to do. She had been selfish, only thinking about her relationships with her friends and not about trying to do the right thing. Tikki told her not to cling to her past mistakes and to focus on solving them. She had ignored her kwami’s advice for so long, but she was truly a wise being. Passing time had started and Marinette quickly put her books away. She stood up, making sure that her skirt still looked fine. Alya was clearly about to say something, but an all too familiar voice interrupted, “Mari!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien, who had turned around when she spoke, had to physically bite his tongue so he wouldn’t grimace. She didn’t deserve to call Marinette a cute nickname after everything she had put his friend through. He glanced at her to see how she was feeling, but Marinette surprisingly seemed unbothered by it. She may not have shown any outward signs of discomfort, but she had involuntarily tensed up on the inside. A comment was coming, she was sure of it. Something to make her feel worthless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After taking a look at her clothes, Lila’s smile faded to a slight grimace while folding her hands under her chin. “Your outfit looks adorable. Truly!” Marinette looked down, ready for the second part. “Great effort for a first try. I’m sure you’ll get better!” And there it was. Marinette knew that her outfit wasn’t winning any awards or competitions, but she worked hard on the outfit. She had actually felt confident and somehow thought she could face Lila without feeling like a scared mouse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lila, that wasn’t very nice.” Well, this was something Lila didn’t anticipate. Normally, comments like these were seen as supportive and encouraging. Besides, Marinette never seemed bothered when her friend seemingly praised her attempt. It only reminded Marinette how easily her class set her feelings aside for Lila the first time. This time, Adrien was not about to let it slide. His eyes were cold, a drastic departure from the warm green color they normally were. “I think Marinette’s outfit looks amazing.” Marinette looked at him, clearly not used to such support after the months spent with Lila continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her shock was visible, but Lila tried to remedy the situation immediately. “Oh my gosh! That’s not at all what I was suggesting!” Taking a glance around the class, she gave them the kindest look she could muster. “It’s just… I’ve been around so many fashion designers and it’s hard not to compare designs when you’re used to spectacular ones!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nino, who had seemed uncomfortable with the entire encounter, added, “I don’t know, Lila. It did seem a little mean.” This was something Lila never considered. The whole class had missed Marinette acting like she normally would and was watching these interactions very closely. Even if it was subconscious, everyone in class felt a bit more protective over their friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, even if you didn’t mean for it to sound mean,” Alya stated, while taking a few steps so she was next to Marinette. She almost wanted to run from this kind of situation, but she finally had the support from her classmates and friends. How did she ever think that they would completely abandon her for Lila? Did she really think so little of her own friends? A small smile appeared on her lips, which Alya returned with ease. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really sorry, Adrien,” Lila finally conceded, trying to appear pitiful and worried. Clearly, this was a failure, all because of Adrien’s little comment. The class used to not notice comments like these just because Marinette wouldn’t make a big deal about them. They had never even considered if she was being bothered by them. Alya thought that Lila encouraged others by reminding them that they could always improve, but it just seemed like diminishing Marinette’s accomplishments. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After hearing her apology, Adrien almost scoffed. Instead, he placed a hand on Marinette’s shoulder and smiled tightly. “Oh, I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” Lila smirked cockily, almost waiting for Marinette to tell everyone that it wasn’t a big deal, that she knew what Lila meant. She would convince everyone to move on. There was a reason why no one suspected Lila when everyone theorized why Marinette started acting different. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one spoke for a few moments, clearly waiting for Lila to say something. As each second passed, she realized that Marinette was waiting as well, as if Lila should apologize. She bit her lip in annoyance, trying to solve how Marinette had changed so much in so little time. It’s almost like she had never accepted Lila’s offer and, while she wasn’t trying to convince the class that Lila was a liar, she was even more of a danger to her then. Maybe she couldn’t fix the problem again in the same way. Perhaps it was time to go back to her original plan. Adrien’s smile turned smug as Lila’s turned clearly strained. “Well?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frustration flowed through Lila, yet she appeared as the very state of apologetic. “Mari, I’m so,</span>
  <em>
    <span> so </span>
  </em>
  <span>sorry,” she apologized, the pitch in her voice rising to appear innocent. Her body language even shifted so she would appear smaller, which would only get her pity. Marinette was almost impressed by how meek and non threatening Lila could make herself appear. Her immediate reaction was going to let her know that it was okay and she wasn’t hurt at all. After all, it was a rather small comment and it would seem petty of Marinette to refuse her apology, even if she was sure that Lila did not mean a single word of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She caught Adrien’s eyes, which were full of support. The protectiveness from him and the rest of the class alleviated the stress placed on her from this situation. She took a small breath before replying with confidence, “I won’t say it’s fine, Lila. You did hurt my feelings.” A small smile appeared on her lips, and Lila swore that she saw some pity in it. “I do accept your apology, though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once everyone dispersed from the group, leaving Lila alone, her lips immediately formed a scowl. The nice girl was replaced with a conniving person, preparing her strike on helpless prey. Marinette clearly knew what she was doing and this was a clear sign that whatever agreement they had before was done. If Marinette truly was returning to the Marinette she had met, Lila knew that she would expose her to the class in only a matter of time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien surprised her, what with that statement defending Marinette. Why would he choose to insert himself into the situation now? The Adrien she knew was the polite boy who was basically controlled by his father. His social status and attractiveness were appealing to Lila, obviously, but it was the fact that he could be manipulated so easily that really drew her in. A couple of lies to his father and a promise to look out for him and suddenly, she was able to plan dates between her and Adrien. Absolutely no confirmation from the son needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps, Adrien wouldn’t be so keen to defend Marinette if he knew what the true Marinette was like. The whole class would turn against her so easily when Lila revealed just how mean their classmate was. After all, Marinette was acting distant for months. Did they really think that they know her better than her supposed best friend? The scowl quickly turned into a malicious smirk. Pretending to be friends wasn’t nearly as fun as the new plan would be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Alya went back to her house after school, she was still trying to wrap her head around what had happened that day. She was elated that Marinette was seemingly back to normal, but she was also almost afraid to ask what had prompted this sudden return. Alya was just too happy to be talking with Marinette, something she didn’t even realize that she missed so much. She and the rest of class silently agreed that they didn’t want to lose this Marinette again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, she was so confused about what was the cause of Marinette’s obvious sadness. Alya didn’t want to just ignore it anymore. Her friend was going through something and she wasn’t able to help her at all. The feeling of being able to do absolutely nothing scared her more than anything. Putting her backpack down, Alya sat down at her desk, ready to finish her homework. She would call Nino when she was done so they could talk about how to approach this situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However by the time she finished her homework, the sun was setting, filling her small room with an orange light. The ungodly amount of homework took her longer than she would have liked, but she wasn’t about to spend her whole weekend trying to finish it. Frankly, she wanted to collapse on her bed and nap until her father called her for dinner. Before she was able to even consider it, a light tapping on her window startled the normally calm reporter. A small yelp escaped her as she turned to the window quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only to see a familiar superhero outside of her window. The red outfit was a stark contrast to the dark sky behind her. Ladybug’s eyes were frantic behind the mask and Alya wondered if there was an Akuma attack that was happening without her knowing. “Alya? What happened?” Oh, she was worried about Nora busting in and seeing her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before her overprotective sister barged into her room, Alya quickly yelled, “Nothing! Just stubbed my toe on my desk!” The answer satisfied her sister and Alya wasted no time opening her window so Ladybug could come in. Her voice was quieter than normally, but still very enthusiastic. “Ladybug! What’s going on? Is there trouble?” Her eyes sparkled as certain ideas flitted through her mind. “Are you here for an interview?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug offered a sheepish smile at her energy and shifted her balance from one foot to the other, clearly thinking about what she wanted to say. She still appeared sure in herself, as a superhero, but just a bit more thoughtful. “Almost, I suppose,” she admitted before gesturing that they both sit down. It suddenly occurred to Alya that Ladybug was acting as though she was delivering bad news. “It’s about one of your blog posts. The one with Lila Rossi?” Alya nodded, a bit confused about what Ladybug was there for. Lila had said that she and Ladybug were best friends, after all. She did wonder if Ladybug wanted the information publicized, but Lila had reassured her that Ladybug was excited for the blog post. “It’s dangerous for people to claim to be my best friend, especially with Hawk Moth still active.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Claim?” Alya repeated, clearly confused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She offered a sympathetic glance to the girl in front of her. “Alya, I’m really sorry, but Lila Rossi and I are not best friends. I’ve encountered her a handful of times during akuma attacks, but nothing to imply that we are great friends.” Ladybug sighed and wanted to look away from the hurt on Alya’s face. She had to remind herself that she was not hurting her best friend. That liar had caused this. After a few moments of silence, Ladybug stood up before mentioning, “I’m just concerned about this girl. She might be getting targeted by Hawk Moth.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying not to appear like her whole world had been shaken from her statement, Alya asked intuitively, “What do you mean?” Lila rarely got involved with akumas, making her one of the lucky ones in the class. She always managed to just miss the damage, something she always thanked Ladybug for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is just a theory, obviously,” Ladybug reassured, “But with the amount of akumas around her, I was just concerned that the blog post might be the reason.” Her yoyo beeped and Alya wondered if Chat Noir had messaged her. She glanced at it before looking back at Alya. “I have to go.” Ladybug began walking back towards the window and offered one last sympathetic look. “Alya, I will see you when we need you again.” She wanted to reassure her friend that, regardless of this whole situation, she did trust her enough to use the Fox Miraculous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya felt like she was standing in the same spot for hours, but, when she sat back down at her desk, she had seen that only a few minutes passed. Looking at her blog on her computer, she thought about the implications of Lila lying. If she was willing to lie about something so big, what was stopping her from lying about everything else? The mentions of akumas also made Alya a bit suspicious of Lila’s stories during akuma attacks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had mentioned that she thought her stories were too good to be true. It had been so long ago, but Marinette really disliked Lila at first. It wasn’t too much of a problem since they had resolved it the very next day. All this time, her first impression was right. When she actually thought about it, Marinette started acting strangely a week or two after the two of them became better friends with Lila. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was easy to suspect Chloe. That girl had tormented almost everyone in class and especially hated Marinette. Wondering if Lila was the cause for Marinette’s sadness just seemed like such an outlandish belief. She had been nothing but nice and sweet to them. Sure, sometimes her thoughts came out a bit ruder than she intended, but she always apologized and Marinette always said that it was fine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her phone rang, breaking her from her train of thought. Seeing the name flashing on the screen, Alya hesitated, wondering if she should pick up the phone. Right before the call was going to end, she reluctantly accepted the call and held the phone to her ear, feeling as though she was dreaming. “Hello?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sniffles were clearly heard on the other end and Lila let out a sob. It seemed so real, but something in Alya told her to not just believe it blindly. “Alya? I’m really sorry, but I didn’t know who else to call.” She didn’t let Alya say anything, still practically wailing through the phone. “M. Agreste doesn’t want me modelling for him anymore. His assistant said something about new information about me coming to light.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lump in her throat would not go away, but she forced herself to sound genuine and concerned, “Lila, I’m so sorry to hear that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause on the other side, clearly Lila trying to compose herself. “Alya, you’re going to think I sound crazy, but… I think Marinette is behind this.” More sniffles followed this statement. “Lately, she’s been acting differently to me and I didn’t want to mention this because I didn’t think anyone would believe me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lila? What’s going on?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, she says really mean things to me when no one’s around and gets mad if I try to tell her that it hurts my feelings. She’s one of my best friends and I don’t want to believe that she’s such a horrible person,” Lila spoke so quickly, trying to appear nervous, when she felt more in control than she had ever felt. “I hate to think this, but I think she’s still jealous about me and Adrien.” A strangled cry escaped her mouth. “I almost forgot! I might be forced to stop dating Adrien.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lila continued her little speech about how horrible Marinette really is, Alya tried her best to stop herself from snapping at her. If she was suspicious before, this was the final nail in the coffin. Alya couldn’t even imagine Marinette being a horrible person, especially since she was clearly suffering these past few months. It was obvious that Marinette was standing up for herself again and Lila didn’t know what to do anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had most of the story, but there were clearly holes in it. Alya still had no idea why Lila might have done all of this. If she was going to handle this correctly, she would need a lot more help to take down this lying snake. Lila really made the worst decision of her life when she started targeting Marinette. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am so sorry that this took so long! I was really overwhelmed the past month, but who knows? Might just fuck around and post the last part tomorrow. There also might be an epilogue!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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